


Knuckle Sandwich

by Zerrat



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: Bonding, Community: ff_land, Gen, Male Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-29
Updated: 2011-12-29
Packaged: 2017-10-28 10:30:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/306935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zerrat/pseuds/Zerrat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, it takes your partner to get you out of a funk. Rude realizes how lucky he is to have a guy like Reno around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Knuckle Sandwich

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Salamander](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salamander/gifts).



Rude was the first Turk to step into the Healin Lodge, shadowed quickly by Reno, to verify the continued safety of the rooms that the President had claimed as the base of ShinRa operations. Following that day’s embarrassing breach of security with that bastard Kadaj, Rude knew that the Turks could not be more careful. The Ancients only knew if there were more of those Sephiroth remnants waiting around the corner…

Rude’s jaw tightened as he thought back to the messed up events that had occurred that day. Kadaj had very nearly gotten the better of the Turks, twice, and because of that, ShinRa would have had to face another Sephiroth. Had it not been for the actions of one Cloud Strife, everything they’d worked for over these two years would have been undone in a flash.

Worse, the Turks had only squared off with the lesser of the remnants – and yet those two had simply toyed with him and Reno, taking their time to attempt to extract Jenova’s location from them. The Turks were better than that, and while the explosion on the highway had gone a long way to soothe the wounded Turk pride, there was still much for Rude to consider.

As Rude cleared the last room, he relaxed slightly. There were no more remnants here, at least not yet. But they could not afford to become complacent. He was starting to sound like Tseng and Verdot, now.

“All clear, boss,” he told Tseng over the bluetooth link at his ear. He heard Tseng’s sharp affirmation, and Reno’s lazy agreement that there was no more danger in the suite, and made his way to the President’s chambers to await Rufus’ arrival. He straightened a little as Tseng strode into the room ahead of their President, his eyes immediately drawn to his employer. After months of being confined to a wheelchair, it was good to see Rufus Shinra standing tall once more. While the man was no brawler, the President still cut an intimidating figure.

But with both Tseng and Elena here to assist the President with the next phase in his plans, there was little need for Rude to linger. He automatically looked about for Reno, and was unsurprised to find his partner missing.

A quick search of the lodge revealed that Reno had laid claim to the tea room. The redheaded Turk was tilted back precariously on a wooden chair, his muddy boots all over the antique table and an old newspaper propped up on his knees as he completed a cryptic crossword. Nice to see that Reno was doing some work for a change, Rude noted sourly as he cleared his throat to get Reno’s attention.

Reno didn’t look up, only chewed on the end of the pen he’d stolen from Rufus’ collection. “What’s another word for pretentious?”

Rude remained silent, and crossed his arms against his chest disapprovingly.

“Nice one, Rude. I think that _Loveless_ does fit the spaces!”

Rude didn’t even blink – such behaviour was to be expected from a guy like Reno. But he’d thought that Reno would have been a little concerned at how soundly they’d been outmatched by Sephiroth’s remnants that day. Reno was a poor loser, after all.

“We still have work to do,” Rude told his partner, in a low voice, hoping that Reno finally got the message.

Reno just waved a lazy hand in Rude’s direction, the pen still stuck between his teeth. “I told ya already. Clockin’ out early, today.”

Rude frowned at him, a muscle along his jaw twitching. Reno’s flakey mannerisms normally didn’t get to him so badly, but... Reno’s blue eyes flickered over to him for a moment, his expression suddenly becoming very calculating, before the man simply shrugged and gave Rude an arrogant smirk.

“Hey, Rude. Go make me a sandwich,” Reno drawled then, straightening the old paper out on his knees and scribbling a few more letters down on that damnable crossword.

Rude didn’t answer, and looked at the Healin Lodge’s ceiling, praying for the patience to deal with his partner. Reno wasn’t normally so unbearable.

After a few moments of silence, Reno continued. “A big one. Big as my _head,_ man. Ham, with pickles and mustard, could go for a bit of cheese on it, too-”

“Reno.” Rude cut in, his voice deceptively mild. “When did I become your personal maid?” Rude looked down past his shades to Reno, his expression conveying a silent warning – _quit while you’re ahead, partner._ Never one to take a hint, Reno met his warning with a blatant challenge in his blue eyes and a daring smile on his face.

“Well, I just thought, since Loz went and made you his bitch so bad, you’d-”

Rude’s fist lashed out without warning, the force of the blow knocking Reno clean off his chair and sending him crashing to the tiled floor. The redheaded Turk groaned, and slowly rubbed the growing welt on his chin. Unexpectedly, he grinned up at Rude from the floor.

“Feelin’ any better now that you got that outta your system, Rude?” the other Turk asked him, in a much quieter voice now. So that had been what the sandwich business had been about, then.

Rude cracked his knuckles and nodded gravely to his partner. Reno’s call had been right – Rude certainly felt less tense, now.

“Wanna go get a coffee, then?”

Rude reached down to help his winded partner to his feet, feeling a slight smirk touch his lips. Reno might have the emotional depth of a teaspoon, and he might be arrogant and an asshole at the best of times, but Rude knew he could always count on Reno to knock him out of any funks he found himself in. They were partners, after all.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Knuckle Sandwich [Podfic]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3624735) by [tinypinkmouse_podfic (tinypinkmouse)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinypinkmouse/pseuds/tinypinkmouse_podfic)




End file.
